Quinoa Pudding {with Coconut Milk & Maple Syrup}

Nutritious superfood quinoa is the star of this creamy, coconut milk-based pudding that tastes like a cross between rice pudding and tapioca.

I’m quickly discovering that January is a month of multiple personalities when it comes to food blogging. First of all, after a holiday season filled with rich, indulgent foods, everyone is resolute to start off the year on a healthy foot. Thus, enter the lightened up, nutritious recipes. Then there’s the fact that January is one of the coldest months, so everyone is craving comfort food via their effortless crock pots. With Super Bowl right around the corner, some folks are trying to plan out their game-watching (or at least their commercial-watching) appetizersandsnacks. And finally, Valentine’s Day is on the horizon, so that means decadent desserts and lots and lots of chocolate!

So before I delve into football-friendly fare and recipes incorporating hearts and effusive amounts of butter, I thought I’d squeeze in a sweet treat that’s actually wholesome and comforting at the same time. And since that covers most, but not quite all, of the January food blogging bases, I suppose you could also eat this dish while watching a football game. 😉

Have you jumped on the quinoa bandwagon yet? This gluten-free, high fiber, complete protein of a grain has become mainstream and quite popular over the last couple of years, and rightfully so. Nevertheless, it’s been a fairly recent addition to my family’s menu plan, and so far I’ve primarily relegated it to the savory side dish category as a replacement for rice or pasta. Well, in 2014, I’m determined to incorporate quinoa into our diet more regularly and in unique ways. The other day it struck me that it might make a tasty and healthy pseudo-rice pudding, so I got to experimenting.

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I ended up making this recipe multiple times in different variations to determine my favorite combination of ingredients. After trying several versions, I think I came up with a perfect formula for Quinoa Pudding. My kids went cuckoo over this and I think you will, too! But first, here’s how I came to my conclusions…

COCONUT MILK VS. WHOLE MILK

My eldest son is lactose-intolerant, so I often substitute unsweetened coconut milk (the kind that comes in a carton in the refrigerated section) for regular cow’s milk in my cooking. Sometimes it lends a coconut undertone to the recipe and sometimes it doesn’t. I did not notice that it contributed any coconut flavor to this quinoa pudding. But it did make it dairy-free and vegan.

For experimentation’s sake, I also made a batch of this pudding with regular milk. My family drinks whole milk, which worked beautifully in this recipe, resulting in creamy, luxurious pudding. I’m sure that skim milk or 2% would work as well, but be prepared for a potentially thinner final texture.

In conclusion? Both coconut milk and regular milk work perfectly well in this recipe. What to use is up to you!

AMOUNT OF MILK

The first time I made this recipe, I started with 3 cups of milk. After about 20 minutes of cooking time, the quinoa had absorbed all of it. The final dish had the texture of a thick oatmeal and the quinoa still had an al dente bite. It was delicious, but a tad thicker than I had hoped it would be.

So the next time, I started with 4 cups of milk. As a result, the cooking time naturally increased, but I actually preferred the resulting quinoa, which was more tender and milder in flavor. Plus I loved that the pudding was creamy and almost tapioca-like in texture, with quinoa grains floating in a pool of thick vanilla cream.

To sum it up? More milk and longer cooking time is definitely my preference here.

WHITE SUGAR VS. MAPLE SYRUP

Both worked and I didn’t really notice a difference in the resulting flavor or sweetness level. But since this quinoa recipe originated in the name of health, I lean towards sweetening it with pure maple syrup, which is at least a natural, unrefined sweetener. However, plain ol’ white sugar will work just fine as well if that’s your preference or what you have on hand.

CINNAMON: YAY OR NAY?

I love cinnamon in my rice pudding but I didn’t know if it would overpower the rest of the flavors, so I experimented with making this pudding with and without. I have to say, I really enjoyed the version in which cinnamon was added to the pudding while cooking. I was afraid it might overwhelm the vanilla, but instead, I found the non-cinnamon version to be a little bland. But certainly feel free to leave it out — or simply sprinkle it on the top — if you’re more of a no-cinnamon-in-your-pudding purist.

So there you have it! Warm, dreamy Quinoa Pudding. It’s like a 2014 version of comfort food…tastes like a decadent treat but brimming with nutrition! It’s equally delicious and nourishing as breakfast, a snack, or dessert. Whether you’ve been wanting to try quinoa or you’re already a quinoa veteran, this recipe is a winner. I can’t wait for y’all to try it!

P.S. Call me a redneck, but while I logically know that quinoa is pronounced “KEEN-wah,” every time I read it or write it, I can’t help but sound it out in my head as “kwin-OH-uh.” Please tell me I’m not the only one… 😉

Nutritious superfood quinoa is the star of this creamy, coconut milk-based pudding that tastes like a cross between rice pudding and tapioca.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

4 cups unsweetened coconut milk (or whole milk)

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place quinoa in a mesh colander. Rinse thoroughly with cold water and allow to drain.

In a medium (approximately 3-quart) pot, combine quinoa, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover, leaving the lid cracked so that some steam may escape. Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring about every 5 minutes.

Remove the lid and continue simmering for 5 more minutes or until pudding has thickened and the quinoa has absorbed most (but not all) of the milk. Remove from heat.

Pour into bowls and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving (pudding will continue to thicken as it cools). Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

Notes

Thoroughly rinsing the quinoa is an important step in order to remove any potential bitter residue.

I used the kind of coconut milk beverage that is sold in a carton in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Canned coconut milk would probably work as well and result in even creamier/richer pudding with a stronger coconut flavor.

If you use regular milk, watch carefully so that it doesn't boil, foam, and overflow. Also, it is normal for regular milk to form a skin on the surface as the pudding cooks. Simply stir it back into the pudding and it will dissolve.

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Comments

Samantha, I have always loved pudding of all kinds – I am totally intrigued by this! I love tapica so I’m sure I’d love this too and have to put it on my must-try list! Thanks for sharing and pinning! Hope you have a great Sunday!

I’m so glad you stopped by, Teresa! I think you’ll love this recipe if you like quinoa…or even if you don’t! 😉 Easy and yummy are right, so I hope you do get to try it! 🙂 Thanks for the comment…have a great weekend!

That is a great question, Dani! I mentioned it in the text of the post, but I need to go back and clarify it in the recipe directions so that people see it for sure. I used the kind of coconut milk that you buy in a carton in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. But honestly, you could probably use canned coconut milk as well if you wanted to…the pudding would just turn out even richer and creamier! Thanks again for the question…hope you enjoy it! 🙂

Yes, Caitlin…sounds like it’s high time to try this! 😉 I hadn’t had a sweet version on quinoa before this recipe, either…but I have to say, I think it’s my favorite way to eat quinoa now. Hope you like it, too!

Oh my this sounds delicious! I grew up eating quinoa but have just recently started experimenting with new ways to eat it other than salad. Last night we had breakfast for dinner and the quinoa pancakes were the star! I can’t wait to try this! The coconut milk and maple syrup make it sound even more yummy 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!

Samantha, you are a genius! I never would have thought to make quinoa into pudding…or anything sweet for that matter! Absolutely brilliant. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us at Best of the Weekend. 🙂

Thanks so much for stopping by and for the sweet comment, Lisa! I have to admit, I really do love this sweetened up quinoa. I hope that you like it as well if you get to try it! See you at BotW, and thanks for hosting each week!

Hi Zoe! I’ve been using Royal White Quinoa lately, and it’s the 365 Organic brand from Whole Foods. I rinse my quinoa really well to get rid of the bitter coating, and I find that by the time it’s been cooking for 30 minutes, the quinoa flavor is pretty mild. As I mentioned in the post, I did a bit of experimenting when developing this recipe, and I found that the quinoa flavor was much stronger with a shorter cooking time. So I’m not sure if any of these could have been factors for you or if different brands of quinoa taste stronger than others. Hope this helps a bit…thanks for the question!

Hi Corrine! I use plain almond milk in this recipe. But you could certainly use vanilla if that’s what you have on hand. Just keep in mind that you may want to reduce the sugar in the recipe if you’re using sweetened almond milk. Hope that helps…enjoy, and happy Friday!

LEH,
I was just going to ask about the Almond Milk option – glad you tried it! Much better for less saturated fat option as well! I love coconut milk from Silk but the sf’s are pretty high & almond milk doesn’t have that. 🙂

I loved this recipe, so yummy and it’s nice that it is relatively healthy. Thank you for being so thorough in testing regular milk and different sweeteners, it made me more confident in changing it up. I love having another great quinoa recipe 🙂

I’m glad that you enjoyed this, Lizzy! And yes, it’s pretty forgiving so I think you can definitely experiment and change it up if you like. 🙂 I appreciate the comment and hope you’re having a great week!

I tried this thinking it would be good. I hate to say neither my husband or I liked it. I needed to use a container of coconut milk. Maybe just a personal taste preference on this since others seemed to like it.

Hi Charlotte! I’m so sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy this. Every recipe is not loved by every person, and quinoa in particular can be an acquired taste. Is it possible that you didn’t thoroughly rinse the quinoa? The naturally-occurring bitter residue on the quinoa can definitely contribute an unpleasant taste to the final dish. I’m also not sure what you mean when you say you had to use a container of coconut milk? The recipe calls for 4 cups, so I’m curious if you required more or less. At any rate, I’m sorry again that this wasn’t your favorite, but I hope you find another recipe that better suits your tastes. 🙂 Have a great week!

I love rice pudding – I make it with soy milk, cinnamon and raisins. I haven’t been able to get my kids to eat quinoa so maybe this is the ticket! Although my daughter doesn’t care for rice pudding anyway 🙁

I don’t think it tastes very quinoa-y when prepared this way, Avra, so maybe your kids will like it! I hope so. And it reminds me more of tapioca than rice pudding, so hopefully your daughter will at least give it a try. 😉 Good luck!

I’m eating a ‘lil bowl of this delicious quinoa pudding right now! Delish! Hubby likes it too! Looking forward to having it again tomorrow morn for breakfast with blueberries and sliced banana. Thanks for sharing Samantha! PS You’re not the only one who reads quinoa as ‘kwinoa’ 😉 Gets me every time, even though I know it’s meant to be ‘keenwa’ haha!

I’m glad y’all are enjoying this quinoa recipe, Stella! And I’m even more glad that I’m not the only one who (still) sounds out that dang word phonetically every time I read it! 😉 Thanks so much for the comment…hope you’re having a great week! 🙂

My experience:
I didn’t have coconut milk, only an almond-coconut milk mixture, but it was still great (though it did boil over once…. or twice). I also didn’t have vanilla, but it wasn’t missed. And because I’m not vegan and didn’t want the pudding to remind me too much of breakfast, I used half maple syrup and half raw honey.
Finally, because my quinoa package suggests a rice cooker as a cooking option, I decided to make the pudding in my rice cooker for easier cleanup. I would recommend this cooking method to anyone who wants to make sure their mixture doesn’t burn, but not to anyone who would leave the cooker unattended, as mine did boil over. Additionally, it did take a little bit longer to cook.

Yay, Alyssa…I’m glad this recipe was such a hit! Thanks for taking the time to comment with your tips and tricks…I’m sure those will come in helpful for other readers. Hope you enjoy this quinoa for many years to come…have a great weekend! 🙂

Just finished making this and while it was tasty it did have a breakfast porridge-y taste to it. I wonder how it was cold if anyone had better will power than I did to put it in the fridge after cooking. Would make it again.

This looks super tasty and I really want to try it out this week when my mom visits, since she used to make pudding for me as a kid! I was wondering however if you meant vanilla extract (imitation or pure?) or powder? Thank you!

So sorry for any confusion, Miriam! I meant pure vanilla extract. I will go back and clarify the recipe now…thanks for pointing out that I just put “vanilla.” I can see how that might not be clear enough. 🙂 Have a great visit with your mom and I hope that you both enjoy this recipe!

I have a similar recipe for breakfast. I’m gluten free. Just cook as the package directs using the milk of your choice, raisins and cinnamon. NO sweetener needed at all. Add the vanilla at the end for more flavor. It is my substitute for oatmeal. You can add a little more milk as you go, depending on how soupy you like it. The key to quinoa is to have a very fine strainer and “rub” the quinoa over it while rinsing. This wears off the bitter coating, so it’s always delicious!

This looks delicious! Any idea how well it would freeze? I don’t think my husband would eat it since he doesn’t like the texture of rice or tapioca puddings, and it would be a bit much for me to eat all of it before it goes bad. Thanks 🙂

Hi Lauren! I’m sorry, but I’ve never tried freezing this and I just don’t know what the texture would be like after thawing. It might be worth testing it out using a small portion? You could also try just cooking a half recipe in a smaller pot. I apologize that I don’t have a better answer for you…I do hope you enjoy this recipe if you have a chance to try it! 🙂

Hi, browsing through Pinterest looking for something new and came accross your Quinoa pudding. Being new to Quinoa ( tried it for the first time at Christmas time) I have since only been putting it into salads. This is delicious!! Very different. I put chopped banana in mine as it was thickening and used canned coconut cream. Yummo. Thanks for making me look at Quinoa for something other than salads fillers.

Hello Samantha!
I just tried it (with milk) and it turned out great, thank you so much!
Also, as a bit of advice to other people like me who are using 2% milk for this recipe – because that’s just what I happened to have on hand at the moment – there is a way to avoid a thinner/runnier texture : just add a couple beat eggs to the mixture! 🙂

Hi Kim! I’m so happy to hear that you love this pudding! Unfortunately, I don’t know how many calories it has per serving, but there are lots of free online nutrition calculators that you can try. I just found this one (https://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php), which is nice because it allows you to just copy the list of ingredients right into the box. I’m not positive how accurate it is, but maybe you can test it out using a recipe for which you already know the calorie count? Sorry I can’t be of more help, but good luck! 🙂

LOVE this recipe. I made a different one, wasn’t so hot!
Mashed a banana, and added blueberries because I LOVE Blueberry Banana Bread…so I figured…why not!
I am sharing this page… Just a really good alternative breakfast!

Im 36 weeks pregnant and have been looking for creative ways to eat quinoa (it’s supposed to be a super food for pregnancy and breastfeeding)…this recipe is delicious. Also ive been making it without sugar and it tastes great…doesn’t really need it with all the flavor from the vanilla and cinnamon. I use coconut milk to cook and usually add a little extra cinnamon before serving. It makes a healthy breakfast and is good hot or cold. Thanks for the recipe!

I’m making this as I’m writing this… I can’t wait!
A few years back I became ovo-lacto vegetarian but I’m currently going through a detox phase so I’m not allowed to eat pretty much anything including dairy products so I was looking for new and interesting ways of surviving this phase and I found this. I used almond and coconut milk to give it an extra puch of flavor and since I’m not allowed to eat syrup or sugar of any kind (except stevia) i let it like that just add some raisins for extra sweetness and try it if needed i will add some stevia -blah- but i think it will be just fine. Thanks for sharing the recipe of all of those i saw this was my favorite.

[…] total quinoa lover, but I’ve only eaten it in savory dishes. Five Heart Home has a recipe for Quinoa Pudding with Coconut Milk and Maple Syrup that I can’t wait to try. She describes it as a cross between rice pudding and […]

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Hi, I’m Samantha . . .

a busy wife and tired mama of two energetic boys and a sweet little girl living in Texas. I love cooking, writing, eating queso, watching college football, and taking way too many pics of my kids. In my “spare” time, I run this food blog and I wrote a cookbook. The days are crazy but the love is plenty between the five hearts that make up our home! (click for more)